Gary Ryan – Guitar

Gary Ryan is one of the world’s leading exponents of the guitar. Renowned for his compelling live performances, he has performed to exceptional critical acclaim at major venues throughout the world, winning universal praise for his formidable technique, outstanding musicianship and original concert programmes.

Born in Kent, UK, Gary Ryan studied with David Miller at the Guildhall School of Music from the age of eight and later won a scholarship to study with Timothy Walker at the Royal Academy of Music in 1987. In 1991 he graduated with first class honours and a host of awards including the Julian Bream Prize, the John Mundy String Prize and the Dorothy Grinstead Prize for the most outstanding all-round musician. He also received awards from the Fleming Trust and the Royal Academy of Music to pursue post-graduate studies.

Ryan subsequently made his London recital debut at the Purcell Room for the Park Lane Group in 1994, which led to a highly acclaimed series of recitals in London, organized by the Kirckman Concert Society. In 1997 he was made an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, in recognition of his achievements.

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At the age of 27 Ryan was one of the youngest ever Professors to be appointed at the Royal College of Music and has gained a reputation as one of Britain’s most respected guitar teachers, with a rare gift for inspiring young people and players of all levels. He currently helps run the guitar programme at the Royal College of Music, where, being an accomplished pianist, he also takes improvisation, aural and keyboard musicianship classes. He is widely sought after as an adjudicator and examiner and has appeared on the jury for the televised stages of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and at many music festivals throughout the UK.

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As a composer Gary Ryan has received international recognition for his highly innovative guitar compositions which draw on the rich traditions of the instrument and combine them with popular contemporary influences and extended techniques. His celebrated work for solo guitar, Scenes from The Wild West, (recorded on his CD, Worlds Apart) is now a best-selling publication.

Subsequent commissions have resulted in several other ground-breaking works for solo guitar and guitar duo and trio, which have been performed world-wide. These works, including Generator (for guitar duo), Scenes from Brazil and Songs from Erin (both for solo guitar), feature on Ryan’s latest CD, Visions and Vistas, on which he has multi-tracked his ensemble pieces. Other new publications include Scenes from Brazil (Camden Music) and Play Piazzolla arr.Gary Ryan (Boosey & Hawkes).

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Gary Ryan is also the Director of Guitar France, a summer festival launched in 2006, which, in 2009, will take place for the second time in the beautiful spa town of Bagnoles de l’Orne in Southern Normandy.